Grace turns 14 months on June 4th!!

Dear family and friends,
How can it be that Grace has doubled her age since I've last blogged -- it's not that we don't want to share our stories with you, it's just that blogging hasn't been made our top priority. So having said that, let me bring you up-to-date.

After reading what I wrote, ummm, 7 months ago I can only write that A LOT has changed -- Grace has advanced from rice cereal and avocados to salmon, portabella mushroom burgers, raspberries, strawberries, and asparagus to name a few. In other words, she eats what we eat.

Re: her teeth. . .she has gone from 2 teeth to 10 teeth (she most recently cut all 4 molars at the same time)!

Grace started crawling during g'ma Bonnie's visit around the middle of February (at about 10 months) and has become quite the agile mover. Crouching and cruising are now soon to result in walking. We are anticipating our lives getting ready to change yet again!

Grace turned one on April 4 and we celebrated with many of her new friends, mama and daddy's friends and g'ma Bonnie and g'pa Stosh who flew out from WI! She started swim baby classes shortly after our last blog update last October and took a sign language class in January. She currently does about 15 signs and says at least as many words. Her latest success at lunch time was signing: "want" "more" "cheese" (a true Wisconsinite)! She is now enjoying her Music Together class and loves to dance and sway to all music, including daddy's whistling.

I am finishing my 3rd quarter of teaching German at Clark College and Fred continues to work as project archaeologist/geoarchaeologist. We are both looking forward to summer and our annual Wandke Door County visit and Anderson Family Reunion in Telemark.

We were just reflecting on where our lives were a year ago and are amazed at all the joys there are that come with being parents and how hard it is too. We are finally getting out on some dates and doing things that we did pre-Grace, like. . . we have started playing ultimate frisbee again at a park 3 blocks from our house and have met a really great group of people. I just dusted off my road bike and took my first short ride this evening. We get to the Columbia River Gorge and the coast as often as possible to take advantage of living here in the Northwest.

We also feel fortunate to have as many visitors as we do -- and to get back to the midwest at least 3x a year. We have an open door so for any of you still interested in seeing what Portland and its environs are all about -- we encourage you to do so!!

We will add some photos of Grace and attempt to capture what the past 7 months have been like. . .

We hope you enjoy!
Love to all --
Lisa, Fred and Grace

Halloween pumpkin

Halloween pumpkin
October 31st, 2008

Grace will be 7 months on Nov. 4th!

Aaaacckk -- I am falling behind on keeping up with Grace's blog and photos -- so with an extra hour this evening I'm dedicating myself to this cause!

There are many exciting going-ons in the Anderson household recently -- Grace started eating solids a few weeks ago and loves her rice cereal, avocados and sweet potatoes! We also felt the beginnings of her lower two teeth a couple days ago as she was nibbling away on our fingers. Her hair continues to get lighter and lighter -- it was black when she was born and is now very light brown, interesting!

For Halloween, we dressed her up as a pumpkin and she was a darn cute one at that.

We have already moved as a family and thanks to my parents, Bonnie & Stosh, (who came out to visit for 10 days in Oct.) we are happy to say that we are settled in to our new place and love it! (Photos of our place included in the slideshow.) It is in a happening neighborhood with lots of cool places to go walking with Grace and close to many of her new little friends.

We spent 10 days in WI (in August) visiting with Fred's family for the Anderson family reunion in Telemark and my family in New London. We had Grace baptized in my parent's backyard -- a beautiful summer day.

We had a nice visit from Fred's mom, Lorna, mid-September and Grace enjoyed spending time with her. I started teaching German at Clark College in late September which has been exciting for me (and a lot of work!) and Fred is getting to do some geoarchaeology work with his firm, also good (but hard because he is on the road for 4 days for 4 weeks).

We have gotten out on a few nice hikes and the fall has been really nice this year -- with little rain, lots of sun, wonderful color, and mild temperatures!

There is more I could say, but for now, we'll let the photos do the talking.

Love to all of you from us!

Lisa, Fred and Grace


July 27, 2008

July 27, 2008

Grace is soon to turn 4 months old. . .

and I can't believe the last time I updated our blog was when she turned 2 months! I know the advice we heard from many is that time goes fast, but really we had no idea. . .

Life is going very well in the Anderson household! Grace continues to charm us with her smiles, her cooing, her increasing interest in toys and us, and it is fun to watch her little personality continue to develop.

I'm going to include three different slide shows in this entry. You may also view these photos in larger format and with captions at this website link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Lmwandke

This first slide show is Grace 8-12 weeks old:



Mom and Grace like to hang out with other new moms and we take a lot of walks. We started going to Book Babies at the library last week (July 21) and even though Grace was one of the youngest, I think she enjoyed watching the other crawlers cruise through the room. We took Grace on her first couple hikes - the first on the Wildwood Trail in Forest Park and then to the Columbia Gorge and went on the Eagle Creek hike. She did great! (Okay, she slept through most of the hiking, but did awaken to admire the green, the waterfalls, and the birds flitting about.)

To back up a month and a half ago, my mom (Bonnie) flew out June 9th to spend a few days with us and then flew back to WI with Grace and me. We spent two weeks in Door County with my mom and dad, and sis and her hubby and daughter Hannah. Fred joined us for week #2 and then we three flew back together.

This is slide show #2 -- it is our time spent in WI and Grace meeting her Great Grandma Irene. I think one of the slides is also a video (Grace in the plane) so hopefully you can view that as well. Enjoy!



Our friend Carole, now living in Australia, was in the US for several weeks and popped down from Seattle to meet Miss Grace in early July and our friend Tessa, from Madison, WI just left a week ago after spending 5 days with us -- reading to Grace, helping set up her crib and creating a jungle in her bedroom, to name a few!!

And here is slide show #3 -- most recent photos of Grace!



As far as weight and height we will find that out this week Wednesday at her 4-month well baby visit. We are making our guesses and so we'll see how close we come! She is a growing girl!

We will be heading back to WI this Friday on 8/1 until 8/11 for the annual Anderson Reunion in Telemark and are looking forward to introducing Grace to Fred's side of the family. Interestingly, it was in Telemark last year that we found out that we would be expecting a baby in April!

I hear Grace waking from her nap and so will sign off for now, but hopefully we'll be back before she turns 6 months!!


Grace is 2 months old!!

Grace's recent well baby visit revealed that she now weighs 11 lbs and is 23 inches long! She continues to amaze us with so many things from smiling, to first coos, to tracking us as we move through the room and her interest in batting things hanging from her play mat. We are having fun with her and she is now sleeping up to 6 hours in the night. Mommy is the one who wakes her as the need to feed her is more urgent for her than for Grace!!

I am attaching another slide presentation link:


You may also go to the actual website: http://picasaweb.google.com/Lmwandke

May 20-26 -- visit from friend Teresa

Good food was had this week by chef Teresa! From apricot scones and oatmeal cranberry chocolate chip cookies to poached salmon, asparagus, and rice pilaf, just to name a few, we ate well! Lisa also got to try her hand at nursing in public during her visit. Whew!

Cookies -- yum!

Fresh Alaska salmon -- more yum!

Monday, May 12-20 - Grandma Bonnie comes to visit!

Grandma Bonnie spends a week with us and it is wonderful having her here! This week marks a huge landmark with Grace gifting us with her first real unsolicited smile! Mommy gets more rest time with g'ma here and Grace gets lots of cuddling time.
Grace and mommy begin their first baby massage class together.

Smiling Grace!

Play time with grandma

Cuddle time with grandma

Mother's Day -- May 11, 2008

Grace, Fred and I celebrated my first Mother's Day by walking through Pier Park and then exploring Smith & Bybee Lakes Wildlife Refuge -- Fred grilled out chicken, potatoes and fresh asparagus from the Farmer's Market for dinner. It was a good day!

Mommy, Daddy and Grace at Pier Park

Happy Mother's Day Mama!

I love you Grace!

Thursday, May 8th -- Grace update!

In the roles of new parents -- we are finding time to sit down and keep our blog updated a bit challenging. I've decided to try to put together a slideshow of some of our recent photos of Grace. It is amazing to look back just a couple of weeks and see the changes already! (If you click on the lower right hand corner of the slideshow box, it will take you to the actual photo album where you can view the photos in a larger context.)



We have been doted on by friends and work colleagues of Fred's with dinner at least every other night. We are so appreciative and thank you all for your support. . . and the yummy food.

Grace continues to thrive and we are so fortunate to have a daughter with such a gentle disposition. She is sleeping in 4 hour chunks at night which is allowing us to get a bit more sleep.

Grandma Bonnie is coming out on Monday for a week visit and then several friends will continue to follow suit into June. Grace will have lots of 'being held' time -- not that she doesn't already!!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Grace is two weeks old today!

Today was Grace's 2-week birthday. We celebrated by taking her into Fred's office and introducing her to all of his work colleagues. Then the real topper was her first pediatrician visit. She gained 1 lb (now 8 lbs, 3 oz) and is 21 1/2 inches long. She is a healthy eater :-)

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Hannah and Grace

Hannah and Grace
Cousin Hannah thinks Baby Grace is cute.

Auntie Sara and Baby Grace

Auntie Sara and Baby Grace
Spending some quality time together!

Grandma Bonnie and baby

Grandma Bonnie and baby
I just love my grandma Bonnie!

Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Stosh

Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Stosh

Grace week one

Grace week one

Grace in the arms of daddy

Grace in the arms of daddy

New mom and baby

New mom and baby